Insince.re

Clive's Album of the Year 2002

2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. It started on a Tuesday, which was the day the Euro first became legal tender.

2002 marked Q-Tip's Golden Jubilee on February 6th, though her sister - Princess Margaret - died from a stroke in her sleep three days later, and The Queen Mother died in March. Mixed fortunes for the Windsors there, then.

Honourable mentions

The least web-search-compatible band in the world, A had released two albums before this but my advice is to skip them - the songs and the production don't come anywhere near close to matching this cracker. Punchy as hell and great fun throughout. Top track: "Nothing"

In 2002 I became aware of many of my guitarist friends suddenly raving about this Swedish guy called Mattias Eklundh. I found his first solo album mind-blowing and impenetrable in equal measure, but when I heard his band this album became an instant favourite. Clever, sometimes heavy, always interesting. Top track: "Nobody's Laughing"

I've always dug PG's solo albums, though due to his self-confessed "pop voice" they are sometimes a little ballad-laden. This one rocks out though - it even starts with a track called "I Like Rock". Top track: "My Religion"

During my time in advertising, I made one of the best friends of my life - Mr Mathias Hellquist - and it was he who introduced me to this album, which proved to be a gateway drug to the whole Porcupine Tree back catalogue. This one is for my money the pinnacle of the oeuvre, though that may be because I haven't spent enough time with its successors. Either way, it's magnificent. Top track: "Blackest Eyes"

And the winner is…

It took me a while to get down into it, having been played it a few times at a friend's flat, but a few more repeat listens and a heart-rending live gig at the Union Chapel later and I was a Damien Rice convert. This album…

This album.

I find it hard to even write about, since I often find it hard to listen to. And I find it hard to listen to purely because if I actually pay attention to it (as opposed to, say, having it in my headphones while working) then I find it drags me on an emotional roller-coaster journey that frankly wears me out. I know music is supposed to do that, that's generally the idea. But the epic trek comprised of these ten tracks demands a lot of the listener. Don't get me wrong, it's not challenging music - it's just… deep. I think. I could be wrong.

I'll say this - go with it. You'll get back at least as much as you put in, though you might end up a little different by the end.